Guiding Principles on Taking Care of Donors and Accepting Gifts

Donors are at the heart of Helen Keller Intl. Our staff and Trustees aim to steward donors’ contributions with integrity, transparency, and respect. Helen Keller follows and regularly reviews guiding principles outlining how we take care of donors and accept their gifts.

This document summarizes the main principles. Please contact Melanie Orozco at [email protected] for the complete Guiding Principles.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Helen Keller protects confidential donor information to the best of our ability and ensures donors have as much control over their privacy as possible. We adhere to stringent industry standards for protecting confidential information.

Cyber-fraud and cyber-crime are ever-present risks, and Helen Keller Intl has a number of data security controls in place to protect donor information. In the event of a breach of donor data, Helen Keller Intl is guided by a set of incident response protocols to lessen the scope and spread of the data breach and to promptly inform and update donors as details of the breach become known.

Donor Intent

Helen Keller uses donations for their designated purpose. If circumstances prevent a gift from being used as intended, we will communicate transparently with the donor to determine an appropriate alternative.

Gift Acceptance

Helen Keller accepts contributions that align with our mission and values. We may decline donations or work with the donor to discuss ways to amend donations that present ethical, legal, or reputational concerns.

Donor Bill of Rights

In upholding the highest ethical standards and being part of an exemplary community of non-profit organizations, Helen Keller abides by the donor bill of rights, linked here.

Here is Helen Keller’s version of the Donor Bill of Rights:

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in Helen Keller and other causes they are asked to support, we declare that Helen Keller’s donors have these rights:

To be informed of Helen Keller’s mission, of the way Helen Keller intends to use donated resources, and of our capacity to use donations effectively for Helen Keller’s intended purposes.
To be informed of the identity of those serving on Helen Keller’s governing board, and to expect Helen Keller Trustees to exercise prudent judgment in their stewardship responsibilities.
To have access to Helen Keller’s most recent [audited] financial statements and 990 tax filings.
To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of Helen Keller or hired solicitors.
To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing [and email] lists that Helen Keller may intend to share.
To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

Accountability

Our practices are consistent with registered 501(c)3 charity best practices and regulations. We abide by European Union regulations, which are to our knowledge the most stringent in the world; they are known as European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, in shorthand) and protect personal data relating to individuals in the European Union.